Coupler support



Sept.'17, 1957 e. F. c ucH COUPLER SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet -1 QIn'ventor: Glenn F Couch hjs Attorney Sept. 17, 1957 G. F. COUCH2,805,612

COUPLER SUPPORT Filed Feb. 14, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 4 /9 Q Iqventor:Glenn E Couch his Attorney United States Patent 6 QOUPLER SUPPORT GlennF. Couch, Bergen, N. Y., assignor to The Symington-Gould Corporation,Depew, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Application February 14, 1955,Serial No. 487,803

9 (Ilaims. (Cl. 213-61) This invention relates to a coupler support forsupporting the shank of a railway car coupler and particularly to acoupler support in the form of a combined striking casting and couplercarrier.

In recent years interlocking coupler have been introduced for bothpassenger and freight service and in the form of the A. A. R. type Hcoupler will soon become mandatory on new equipment for passengerservice. Though introduced more recently than the type H coupler, theinterlocking coupler for freight service, known as the type F, hasalready been made an A. A. R. alternate standard and, since possessingnumerous advantages over the non-interlocking type B coupler, which isthe present standard, presumably will ultimately be made the mandatorystandard for new equipment in freight service. The problem this poses tothe railroads is that the type F coupler and its associated equipment isconsiderably more expensive than the type B coupler. Yet, if due to thesaving, the type E coupler is now specified by a railroad for newequipment, it will ultimately be confronted with the expense of achangeover to the type F coupler, if maximum benefit is to be derivedfrom its F couplers on equipment purchased after such couplers have beenmade the mandatory standard.

The difiiculty in the transition is caused by the difference inoperation of the types E and F couplers, the former at most swingingonly horizontally, while the latter is adapted to swing bothhorizontally and vertically. As a consequence, the conventional couplercarrier for the E coupler is rigidly connected to the underframe of arailway car, while that for the type F coupler is resiliently supportedon a special striking casting. The change-over of a coupler support fora type B to that for a type F coupler thus at present entails thecomplete replacement of the E coupler support with the combined strikingcasting and resilient coupler carrier for the type F coupler.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved couplersupport which is convertible from a rigid support for a type E couplerto a resilient support for a type F coupler by inverting a carriermember and applying to the latter the supporting springs and carrieriron of a resilient coupler carrier. v

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved combinedstriking casting and coupler carrier embodying the basic structurerequired for the connection to and support on the underframe of arailway vehicle of either a type E or a type F coupler, the combinedunit being selectively convertible for use with either coupler with aminimum of additional parts.

An additional object of the invention is is provide an improved combinedstriking casting and coupler carrier convertible for use with either atype B or a type F" coupler, wherein the striking casting is of weldeddesign for relative inexpensiveness in production without reduction inthe strength or efficiency of the unit.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a 2,806,612 PatentedSept. 17, 1957 "ice coupler support an invertible carrier member whichis closed at one end and open at the other and is reversibly seata-blein a striking casting or like means rigidly con nected to the underframeof a railway car, the member in one position presenting its closed endfor rigid support of a type B coupler and in the reverse positionpresenting its open end for the reception of the supporting springs andcarrier iron for a type F coupler, and in both positions being held inplace by common means.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved combinedstriking casting and coupler carrier convertible for use with either atype B or a type F coupler, wherein the construction of the strikingcasting is simplified by the use of novel means for securing in positionthe plate employed for supporting an F coupler yoke.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter inthe detailed description, will be particularly pointed out in theappended claims, and will be illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which:

Figure l is a central vertical sectional view, taken along the lines 1-1of Figure 2, of the improved coupler support of the present invention,showing the carrier member adapted for the support of a type F coupler;

of Figure l, of the coupler support of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the lines4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view corresponding to the lower portion ofFigure 3, with the carrier member inverted for the support of a type Ecoupler;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 6-6 ofFigure 5; and

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view of the coupler support of Figure5, corresponding in section to the sectional portion of Figure 2.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, in which like referencecharacters designate like parts, the improved coupler support of thepresent invention has been embodied for purposes of illustration in acombined striking casting and coupler carrier designated generally as 1.The striking casting 2 of this unit is designed to be rigidly connected,as by riveting, to either end of the center sills 3 or correspondingpart of the underframe of a railway vehicle (not shown).

The striking casting 2 is comprised of a pair or transversely spacedvertically directed side wallsi connected over the forward portions oftheir upper extremities by a horizontally directed top wall 5, the sideand top walls together defining a substantially rectangular opening 6for the reception of the shank of a coupler (not shown). The strikingcasting 2 preferably is stiffened below the coupler opening 6 by one ormore cross ties 7, formed integrally with and extending between the sidewalls Also below the coupler opening 6 and adjacent the forwardextremity of the striking casting 2, is a pair of transversely spaced,substantially parallel or aligned, inwardly opening or confronting guidechannels or ways 8, each carried by one of the side walls the channelsin the illustrated embodiment conveniently being formed by the endportions of the pair of longitudinally spaced cross ties or transversewebs 7 and the included portions of the side walls. Open at their upperends and directed vertically or substantially normal to the coupleropening 6, the guide channels 8 are closed at their lower ends by feetor 3 flanges 9 inturned or instanding from the side walls 4 and togetherproviding a seat in the striking casting 2.

The purpose of the guide channels 8 is to slidably receive a carriermember in open at one end 11 and closed at the other end 12, the carriermember preferably being of box-shape, and including, between its spacedvertically directed or upstanding longitudinal or side walls 13 andtransverse walls 14 and its horizontally directed end wall 15, avertically directed or upstanding pocket or socket 16 opening onto itsopen end ll. For seating the carrier member ill in the channels thereare pro vided positioning lugs 17 each outstanding transversely from oneof its side walls 13 and each adapted to seat against the upper face 18of one of the pair of flanges E. It will be noted that the positioninglugs 17 are shouldered at both top and bottom so as to seat against theinturned feet 9, whichever end of the carrier member is uppermost. Forlocking the carrier member in its seat in either position, use is madeof retainer plates or clips 19 which may be fixed at their outer ends,as by riveting, to flanges 23) outstanding from the side walls 4 of thestriking casting 2 and extend through slots or apertures 21 in the sidewalls, each of the locking plates being adapted to align with and extendthrough one of a pair of vertically spaced slots 22 formed in each ofthe side walls 13 of the carrier member 10, above and below thepositioning lug 17, one slot serving for each of the two positions ofthe carrier member.

Seatable and lockable in its seat in the striking casting 2 with eitherits open end ill or closed end 12 uppermost and confronting the shank ofa related coupler in the couprer opening 6, the invertible or reversiblecarrier member 10 is the means whereby the coupler support of thepresent invention is enabled to carry the shank either of a couplerwhich swings, at most, only horizontally, such as the A. A. R. standardcoupler, or of a coupler which swings both horizontally and vertically,such as the A. A. R. alternate standard F coupler. Its operation withthe first or E type coupler is shown in Figure 5, wherein the carriermember 11 is seated with its closed end 12 on top or uppermost. In thatposition of the carrier member its end wall 15 serves as a base forrigidly supporting the coupler against downward movement, usuallythrough the intermediary of a wear plate 23, which, conveniently, may beremovably secured to the transverse wall or base id, as by welding, andeffectively relieves the carrier member of the wear that otherwise wouldoccur in the horizontal movements of the coupler.

As mentioned at the outset, a vertical swinging coupler such as the A.A. R. alternate standard F coupler, must be resiliently or yieldablysupported so as to permit it to swing downwardly under serviceconditions. When applied to such a coupler, the carrier member 10 isinverted or reversed from the position shown in Figure to that shown inFigure 3 so that its pocket in opens upwardly, the wear plate 23, if oneis applied, being removed in the interim. So disposed, the carriermember serves, in the same manner as does the integral pocket of aconventional striking casting for a type F coupler, to pocket and guidein its vertical movements a resilient coupler carrier comprised of acarrier iron 24 and coil or like springs 25 resiliently supporting thecarrier iron in the pocket 16. The carrier iron 24 has the usual topwall 216 projecting over or overhanging the upstanding walls 13 and ofthe carrier member 10 and also has, as usual, a depending skirt 27including a downwardly opening recess 28 for the reception of thesprings 25, the several springs preferably being centered by opposedsets of centering bosses 29, one formed integrally with the end wall 35of the carrier member 10 andrthe other with the top wall 26 of thecarrier iron 24. The retainer.

plates 19, which lock the carrier member 10 in its seat, here extendinto recesses or slots 36 in opposite sidesof the skirt 2'7, thus alsoserving to limit the maximum upward movement of the carrier iron underforce of the springs 25.

Since disposed adjacent the forward extremity of the striking castingand thus forwardly of the pivotal axis (not shown) of the coupler, thecarrier iron 24 is required to tilt or cant forwardly as the couplerswings downwardly. Provision is made for such tilting in the illustratedembodiment by corresponding vertical stepping of the upper edges 31 ofthe front and rear or end walls 14 of the carrier member 19 and thecorresponding edges 32 of the transverse webs '7, the edges 31 of thecarrier member also being inclined or tilted downwardly in a forwarddirection so as to have surface contact with the top wall 26 of thecarrier 2%, when the latter is in extreme forward position. To ensurethat the lower of the edges 31 of the carrier member will be in frontwhen the carrier member is used with a vertically swinging coupler, anoffset 33 is formed in the front end of the carriermember 10 adjacentits closed end 12 with corresponding T-shape of the latter and the frontof the webs 7 is correspondingly relieved or recessed as at 34,thisconstruction, in conjunction with the flat inner face 34 of therear'of the webs, serves as a locator or guide for preventing accidentalinsertion of the carrier member in the incorrect position.

The coupler support of the present invention is designed to provide notonly rigid or resilient support of the coupler shank depending on thetype of coupler with which it is employed but also, when necessary,supporting means for an associated yoke. As the draft connection, eachof: the side walls 4 of the striking casting has as its rear portion anintegrally formed draft lug 35, the draft lugs being adapted to beengaged in the usual manner by front follower of a draft gear (notshown) when the related coupler is subjected to draft forces. Forwardlyof the draft lugs the side walls 4 are provided with the usual key slots36 for the reception of the retaining key (not shown) conventionallyemployed in a regular or emergency application of an E coupler.

For applications in which a yoke is required to be supported by asupporting plate, as in the case of the F" coupler, the supportingplate, conventionally, is locked in position by means carried by thestriking casting. In the instant striking casting, such means aredispensed with, enabling the construction of the striking casting to besimplified, and the center sills 3, instead, are depended on for plate37 in position. In accordance with this simplified construction,laterally aligned plate-receiving slots 38 are formed in the side Walls4 of the striking casting 2 and so disposed vertically relative to thebottom flanges 39 of the center sills 3 as to enable the supportingplate 37 to clear the adjacent bottom flange as it is slid from eitherside into the slots. Once the supporting plate is in position, itsaccidental removal is prevented by retainer bl0cks4i) removably secured,as by riveting, to the bottom flanges 39 and each obstructing egress,from one of the slots 38. Also to simplify manufacture, the strikingcasting preferably is divided initially along its longitudinal centerline into two pieces, each of which is castable, with a minimum ofcoring, the parts being readily joined together by welding either at themanufacturing stage or in process of assembly. at the coupler shop;

Fromthe; above detailed description, it will be, apparout there hasbeen. provided an improved coupler support which, While of relativelysimple and rugged con struction, is readily convertible for use witheither an E or an E type coupler, thus serving as an effective'transition; support for use by railroads considering ultimate conversionto type F couplers in the period beforetheF'coupler is made a mandatorystandard. It should be understood that the illustrated embodiment ismerely exemplary of the invention and that: all modifications areintended to be included which do not securing the yoke supporting departfrom either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a coupler support, an upwardly facing seat carried by anunderframe of a railway vehicle, and a carrier member closed at onevertical end and having a vertically directed pocket opening onto theopposite end thereof, said carrier member being invertibly seatable inand supportable on said seat for selectively presenting each of saidends to a shank of an associated coupler, and said carrier member withsaid closed end presentedrigidly supporting said shank against downwardmovement and with said open end presented being adapted to pocket meansfor resiliently supporting said shank.

2. In a coupler support, an upwardly facing seat carried by anunderframe of a railway vehicle, a carrier member closed at one verticalend and having a vertically directed pocket opening onto the oppositeend thereof, said carrier member being invertibly seatable in andsupportable on said seat for selectively presenting each of said ends toa shank of an associated coupler, and said carrier member with saidclosed end presented rigidly supporting said shank against downwardmovement and with said open end presented being adapted to pocket meansfor resiliently supporting said shank, and means for locking saidcarrier member in said seat with either end uppermost.

3. A coupler support comprising a striking casting having a pair oftransversely spaced upstanding side walls and a connecting top walltogether defining a conpler opening, a pair of transversely spacedvertically directed guideways carried by said side walls beneath saidopening, an upwardly facing seat in said guideways, a box-shaped carriermember closed at one end and having an upstanding pocket opening ontothe opposite end thereof, said carrier member being invertibly slidablefrom above into said guideways and seatable on said seat for selectivelypresenting each of the open and closed ends thereof to said coupleropening, one of the longitudinally spaced upper edges defining the openend of said carrier member being spaced vertically below the other ofsaid edges, and locating means associated with said guideways forensuring assembly of said carrier member with said lower edge outermostwhen the open end thereof is on top.

4. A coupler support comprising a striking casting having transverselyspaced upstanding side walls and a connecting top wall together defininga coupler opening, draft lugs integral with and extending inwardly ofsaid side walls, guideways carried by said side walls adjacent theforward lower extremities thereof and disposed substantially normal tosaid coupler opening, a box-shaped carrier member closed at one end andhaving an upstanding pocket opening onto an opposite end thereof, saidcarrier member being slidable from above into said guideways with eitherend uppermost, means outstanding from the sides of said carrier memberand engageable with and adapted to underlie means instanding from saidside walls for seating said carrier memher in said guideways, and meansreleasably securable to said striking casting for securing said carriermember in said seating.

5. A coupler support comprising a striking casting rigidly connectableto center sills of a railway vehicle, said striking casting having apair of transversely spaced upstanding side walls and a connecting topwall together defining a coupler opening, draft lugs integral With saidside walls, slots in said side walls adjacent the rear extremitiesthereof and opening below said center sills for receiving a supportingplate slidable laterally thereinto, means removably securable to bottomflanges of said center sills for blocking the sides of said slots andsecuring said plate therewithin, web means connecting said side wallsadjacent front lower extremities thereof, a pair of vertically directed;ui 'f h' carried by one of said side walls, a box-shaped-carrier memberclosed at one'end and having an upstanding pocket opening onto theopposite endthereof, said carrier member being reversible and slidablefrom above into said guideways with the selected of said ends uppermost,and means instanding from said side walls and engageable with meansoutstanding from said carrier member for supporting said carrier memberin said guideways, said carrier member with said closed end uppermostserving as a rigid support against downward movement of a shank of anassociated coupler and with said open end uppermost being adapted topocket means for resiliently supporting said shank for downwardmovement.

6. In a coupler support, the combination with a carrier member, of astriking casting comprising a pair of transversely spaced upstandingside walls and a horizontally disposed top wall connecting the upperextermities of said side walls over the forward portions thereof, saidwalls together defining a substantially rectangular coupler opening, apair of transversely spaced vertically directed substantially parallelguideways carried by said side walls adjacent the forward lowerextremities thereof, and means instanding from said side Walls andclosing lower ends of said guideways to form a seat therein forsupporting said carrier member.

7. In a coupler support, the combination with a carrier member, of astriking casting comprising a pair of transversely spaced upstandingside walls and a horizontally disposed top wall connecting the upperextremities of said side walls over the forward portions thereof, saidwalls together defining a substantially rectangular coupler opening, apair of transversely spaced vertically directed substantially parallelguideways carried by said side walls adjacent the forward lowerextremities thereof, and means instanding from said side walls andclosing lower ends of said guideways to form a seat therein forsupporting said carrier member, said striking casting having a weldextending substantially along the longitudinal center line thereof andconnecting the two cast parts of said casting at opposite sides of saidcenter line.

8. A coupler support comprising a striking casting having transverselyspaced upstanding side walls and a connecting top wall together defininga coupler opening, a pair of transversely spaced vertically directedguideways carried by said side walls adjacent the forward lower extremities thereof, means instanding from said side walls andinterrupting said guideways below upper ends thereof, a box-shapedcarrier member closed at one end and having an upstanding pocket openingonto the opposite end thereof, said pocket being invertible and slidablefrom above into said guideways with the selected of said ends uppermost,lugs outstanding from sides of said carrier member and engageable withand supportable by said instanding means for seating said carrier memberin said guideways, a pair of vertically spaced slots in each side ofsaid carrier member and disposed above and below the associated of saidlugs, and retaining clips releasably securable to said side walls andextendable through the selected of said slots for locking said carriermember in said seat with the selected end uppermost.

9. A coupler support comprising a striking casting having transverselyspaced upstanding side walls and a connecting top wall together defininga coupler opening, a pair of transversely spaced vertically directedguideways carried by said side walls adjacent the forward lowerextremities thereof, means instanding from said side walls andinterrupting said guideways below upper ends thereof, a box-shapedcarrier member closed at one end and having an upstanding pocket openingonto the opposite end thereof, said carrier member being invertible andslidable from above into said guideways with the selected insaidvguideways, a pair of vertically spaced slots in eachv side of saidcarrier member and disposed above and below the associated of said lugs,and retaining clips releasably securable to said side walls andextendable through the selected of said slots for locking said carriermember in said seat with, the selected end uppermost, said carriermember with said open end uppermost being adapted to pocket a carrieriron and supporting springs for resiliently supportinga shank of anassociated coupler, said carrier iron havingrecesses in sides'thereof,and said retaining clips being adapted to extend into said recessesforlimiting upward movement of said carrier iron under force of saidsprings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,258,208 Johnson Oct. 7, 1941 2,544,288 Wolfe Mar. 6, 1951 2,590,868Kahler Apr. 1, 1952 2,680,526 Kahler June8, 1954 2,718,968 Metzger Sept.27, 1955

